Common Interests Affiliation Network Architecture

BACKGROUND

0001A variety of electronic content is continually made available to users, such as ring tones, computer programs stored on computer-readable media (e.g., a game for a game console), casual computer games, and so on. Casual computer games (i.e., “casual games”), for instance, are typically configured as relatively small computer games (e.g., less than fifty megabytes) that may be played or easily downloaded over the Internet. A consumer may employ a browser to navigate to a website and play such casual games as Mahjong, word games, card games, board games, action games, mystery games, arcade games, puzzle games, and so on. Thus, casual games may provide for a variety of different types of interaction, such as pattern recognition games, timed games, word games, dexterity-based games, and so on.

0002Because casual games (as well as other electronic content) may assume such a wide variety of configurations, consumers may also form widely varied opinions regarding the casual games. For example, a first consumer may enjoy card games and therefore consider solitaire and poker games relaxing but consider action games stressful and therefore undesirable. A second consumer, however, may enjoy action games but consider card games “too slow”. Consequently, when a new casual game is released, the opinions of the first and second consumers may be quite different depending on the type of game released (e.g., action versus card game) and therefore the opinion of the first consumer may not be relevant to the second consumer and vice versa.

SUMMARY

0003A common interest affiliation network architecture is described. The architecture may be used to address the various likes and dislikes of users that interact with electronic content. For example, users may form a profile that includes ratings and reviews. The profiles may then be affiliated, one with another, to create a network of users having similar likes and dislikes regarding the electronic content.

0004The affiliated profiles that form the common interest affiliation network may be leveraged to provide a wide range of functionality to the users. For instance, ratings and reviews that are newly created by members of the network may be automatically propagated to other members of the network such that members of the network may share and express a common experience with electronic content. Additionally, the ratings and reviews of the network as a whole may be used to recommend other games to members of the network. In another example, web pages regarding particular games may be populated with reviews and rating based on ratings and reviews of the network as a whole. Other implementations are also contemplated without departing from the spirit and scope of the architecture and methodologies discussed herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

0005The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The use of the same reference numbers in different figures indicates similar or identical items.

0006<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> is an illustration of an exemplary environment in which techniques may be utilized to form a common interest affiliation network regarding interaction with electronic content, such as casual games.

0007<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> is an illustration of a network service system and one of the client devices of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> in greater detail.

0008<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> is a flow diagram depicting a procedure in an exemplary implementation in which an architecture is provided to create profiles describing user interaction with casual games and affiliate the profiles with other profiles to create a common interest affiliation network.

0009<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref> is a flow diagram depicting a procedure in an exemplary implementation in which at least one recommendation is formed regarding an item of electronic content based at least in part on a profile and profiles referenced in the profile.

0010<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref> is a flow diagram depicting a procedure in an exemplary implementation in which a profiled webpage is output that is customized based on a common interest affiliation network that is formed from an affiliation of a profile with one or more other profiles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

0011Overview

0012A variety of electronic content is continually made available to users, such as ring tones, computer programs stored on computer-readable media (e.g., a game for a game console), casual computer games, and so on. Further, each of these types of electronic content may be configured in a variety of different ways, such as casual card games versus casual action games, popular music inspired ring tones versus classical ring tones, and so on. Consequently, ratings and reviews of these different types of electronic content may be inaccurate to particular users because the tastes of prospective users may also vary. For example, ratings may trend toward an average score that does not reflect specific user's tastes while reviews may vary widely and thus become unsuitable to a particular user to determine whether a particular item of electronic content will be desirable.

0013For example, consider a newly released Mahjong game that is widely considered to have desirable graphics, sound and production qualities that produces scores based on the user's accuracy in an allotted amount of time. Users that prefer dexterity based games may not find this game desirable and therefore give it a relatively undesirable rating and review. Other users that do like games that rely on pattern recognition, however, may find this game desirable and give it a corresponding favorable rating and review. Yet further, still other users that like pattern recognition games may not like timed games (e.g., may think of them as stressful) and therefore give this game a relatively undesirable rating and review whereas other consumers that do like pattern recognition games and the “thrill” of timed games may give it a favorable rating and review,

0014Consequently, rating systems tend to “trend to the middle” such that an average score is typically given for each game that is rated. For instance, an average score may be given of between three and four on an overall scale of one to five. Additionally, the reviews of the game may vary greatly from “loved it” to “hated it”. Therefore, the ratings and reviews may become “useless” because users' tastes may vary as greatly as the electronic content itself.

0015Accordingly, an architecture is described to provide a common interest affiliation network that may address the various likes and dislikes of users that interact with electronic content. For example, users may form a profile that may include both computer-generated information and manually-entered information regarding ratings and reviews created by the respective users. Computer-generated information in the profile, for instance, may include casual games played by the user, which games were reviewed, rated and summary information like games most often played, least often played, and so on. Manually-entered information may include favorite game played ever, favorite recent release, least favorite game, demographic information, textual summary describing types of games typically favored, and so on. Further, the casual games listed in the profile may include links to detailed ratings and reviews the user created for those games, when applicable.

0016The profiles may also be created to include affiliations to other profiles. For example, a user may read reviews and play casual games based on the reviews. If the user agrees with the reviews, the user can add the other user that wrote the reviews to their profile such that future reviews and ratings are also provided to the user. Thus, the affiliated profiles may create a common interest affiliation network that may be leveraged to provide a wide range of functionality to the users. For instance, ratings and reviews that are newly created by members of the network may be automatically propagated to other members of the network such that members of the network may share and express a common experience with electronic content.

0017Additionally, the ratings and reviews of the network as a whole may be used to recommend other games to members of the network. For example, a recommendation may be made based on the user's profile as well as other profiles referenced in the user's profile. In this way, additional information provided by the other profiles may be leveraged to increase a likelihood of making an accurate recommendation, e.g., recommending a causal game that the user will like. In another example, web pages regarding particular games may be populated with reviews and rating based on ratings and reviews of the network as a whole. For instance, the user may navigate to a web page describing a particular game. Ratings and reviews may be automatically fetched from users having similar profiles and used within the web page such that the user is provided with ratings and reviews that have an increased likelihood of being relevant. A variety of other examples are also contemplated, further discussion of which may be found in relation to the following figures.

0018In the following discussion, an exemplary environment is first described that is operable to perform techniques to form and utilize profiles to provide a common interest affiliation network architecture. Exemplary procedures are then described that may be employed in the exemplary environment, as well as in other environments.

0019Exemplary Environment

0020<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> shows an exemplary architecture <b>100</b> in which a common interest affiliation network may be formed in relation to electronic content such as casual computer games, ring tones, and so on provided by an online service. The architecture <b>100</b> has a network service system <b>102</b> (also referred to as a service system <b>102</b>) communicatively coupled to a plurality of client devices <b>104</b>(<b>1</b>), . . . , <b>104</b>(N) via a network <b>106</b>.

0021The client devices <b>104</b>(<b>1</b>)-<b>104</b>(N) may be configured in a variety of ways to access the network <b>106</b>. For example, one or more of the client devices <b>104</b>(<b>1</b>)-<b>104</b>(N) may be configured as a computing device, such as a desktop computer (e.g., as illustrated by client device <b>104</b>(<b>1</b>)), a mobile station, an entertainment appliance, a set-top box communicatively coupled to a display device, a wireless phone (e.g., as illustrated by client device <b>104</b>(N)), a game console, and so forth.

0022The network <b>106</b> may assume a wide variety of configurations. For example, the network <b>106</b> may include the Internet, a wide area network (WAN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless network, a public telephone network, an intranet, and so on. Further, although a single network <b>106</b> is shown, the network <b>106</b> may be configured to include multiple networks.

0023Each of the client devices <b>104</b>(<b>1</b>)-<b>104</b>(N) is illustrated as having a respective communication module <b>108</b>(<b>1</b>)-<b>108</b>(N), which is representative of functionality to communicate with the service system <b>102</b> over the network <b>106</b>. For example, the communication modules <b>108</b>(<b>1</b>)-<b>108</b>(N) may be configured as browsers that are used to display and interact with resources over the network <b>106</b> (e.g., “surf the Internet”), such as to receive web pages and so on. In another example, the communication modules <b>108</b>(<b>1</b>)-<b>108</b>(N) are representative of functionality incorporated within another module (i.e., a smart module) to communicate over the network <b>106</b>, such as an application program having Internet access capabilities. A variety of other examples are also contemplated.

0024The service system <b>102</b> may be implemented in any number of ways, including as a mainframe computer system, as a standalone server, or as a cluster or farm of servers. The service system <b>102</b> in the illustrated architecture <b>100</b> of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> hosts electronic content which may be made available to the client devices <b>104</b>(<b>1</b>)-<b>104</b>(N) over the network <b>106</b>. In one implementation, the electronic content is accessible via a website hosted at the network service system <b>102</b> or elsewhere.

0025The electronic content may be configured in a variety of ways. For example, the electronic content may support an online gaming service in which consumers can access one or more computer games over the network <b>106</b> for a fee using the client devices <b>104</b>(<b>1</b>)-<b>104</b>(N). In the illustrated implementation, the computer games are casual games <b>110</b>(g) (where “g” can be any integer from one to “G”), which are commonly configured as relatively small games (e.g., less than fifty megabytes) that may be played over the Internet or easily downloaded to the client devices <b>104</b>(<b>1</b>)-<b>104</b>(N). The casual games <b>110</b>(<i>g</i>) may be configured in a variety of ways to provide a wide variety of different gaming themes or genres. Example casual games <b>110</b>(<i>g</i>) include Mahjong, word games, card games, board games, action games, arcade games, puzzle games, mystery games, and so on.

0026A manager module <b>112</b> manages access to and provision of the casual games <b>110</b>(<i>g</i>) to facilitate user interaction. For example, the manager module <b>112</b> may receive a request from one client device <b>104</b>(<b>1</b>) to interact with a particular one of the games <b>110</b>(<i>g</i>). The manager module <b>112</b> may collect or record a fee resulting from the client device <b>104</b>(<b>1</b>) interaction with the game <b>110</b>(<i>g</i>). In this example, the client device <b>104</b>(<b>1</b>) uses the communication module <b>108</b>(<b>1</b>) to access the website and download a stand-alone game <b>110</b>(<b>1</b>) for local execution. In another example, the other illustrated client device <b>104</b>(<b>1</b>N) accesses a browser-based game <b>110</b>(N) that is executed remotely by the network service system <b>102</b>. Therefore, although the user may interact with the communication module <b>108</b>(N) to play the game <b>110</b>(N), execution of the game <b>110</b>(N) is performed by the service system <b>102</b> responsive to input from the client device. A variety of other examples are also contemplated, such as through execution of a game, at least in part, both locally on the client device and remotely by the service system <b>102</b> over the network <b>106</b>.

0027The manager module <b>112</b> is further illustrated as incorporating a profile module <b>114</b> that is representative of functionality to generate one or more profiles <b>116</b>(<i>p</i>) (where “p” can be any integer from one to “P”) that describe interaction of the users with electronic content, such as the casual games <b>110</b>(<i>g</i>) of the architecture <b>100</b> of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>. For example, the profiles <b>116</b>(<i>p</i>) may include ratings <b>118</b> and reviews <b>120</b> of the casual games <b>110</b>(<i>g</i>). Ratings <b>118</b> may refer to numerical or symbol-based scoring of a game that indicates whether the user liked or disliked the game, such as using a scale of one to five, star ratings, letter grades (e.g., “A”, “C”, “F”), and so on. Thus, the ratings <b>118</b> may be objectively compared, one to another, to determine like or dislike of the casual games <b>110</b>(<i>g</i>). Reviews <b>120</b> may include written text that is input by a user to describe the casual games <b>110</b>(<i>g</i>), such as what aspects of the game the user liked or disliked, overall impression of the game, nuances of the game (e.g., regarding graphics, production quality, and so on), commentary regarding other reviews, and so on.

0028The profiles <b>116</b>(<i>p</i>) may also include references to other profiles to create affiliations <b>122</b> between the profiles. For example, the user may agree with certain ratings and reviews contained in other profiles and affiliate those profiles with the user's profile. This affiliation may then be used to provide recommendations to the user, both based on the rating and reviews in their own profile as well as the ratings and reviews of the affiliated profiles. Additionally, ratings and reviews that are newly created in affiliated profiles may be automatically propagated to other affiliated users. In another example, profiles having common ratings may be automatically affiliated by the profile module <b>114</b> to make recommendations, forward relevant reviews, and so on. A variety of other examples are also contemplated. Thus, the affiliated profiles may create a common interest affiliation network that may be leveraged to provide a wide range of functionality to the users, further discussion of which may be found in relation to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 3-5</figref>.

0029Although this exemplary architecture <b>100</b> described casual games as an example of electronic content, it should be readily apparent that a wide variety of electronic content is contemplated, such a electronic content delivered over a network (e.g., ring tones), delivered via a computer-readable medium (e.g., a computer-readable disc having a game), and so on. In an implementation, the number of items of electronic content provided varies between approximately fifty items to approximately one thousand items.

0030Generally, any of the functions described herein can be implemented using software, firmware, hardware (e.g., fixed logic circuitry), manual processing, or a combination of these implementations. The terms “module,” “functionality,” and “logic” as used herein generally represent software, firmware, hardware or a combination thereof. In the case of a software implementation, the module, functionality, or logic represents program code that performs specified tasks when executed on a processor (e.g., CPU or CPUs). The program code can be stored in one or more computer-readable memory devices, further discussion of which may be found in relation to the following figure. The features of the common interest affiliation network techniques described below are platform-independent, meaning that the techniques may be implemented on a variety of commercial computing platforms having a variety of processors.

0031<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> illustrates a more detailed, but still exemplary, implementation of the architecture <b>200</b> in which certain components of the service system <b>102</b> and a representative client device <b>104</b>(<i>n</i>) are shown. The service system <b>102</b> is illustrated as being implemented by a server <b>202</b>(<i>s</i>). Additionally, the server <b>202</b>(<i>s</i>) and the client device <b>104</b>(<i>n</i>) are implemented with respective processors <b>204</b>(<i>s</i>), <b>204</b>(<i>n</i>) and respective memories <b>206</b>(<i>s</i>), <b>206</b>(<i>n</i>).

0032Processors are not limited by the materials from which they are formed or the processing mechanisms employed therein. For example, processors may be comprised of semiconductor(<i>s</i>) and/or transistors (e.g., electronic integrated circuits (ICs)). In such a context, processor-executable instructions may be electronically-executable instructions. Additionally, although a single memory <b>206</b>(<i>s</i>), <b>206</b>(<i>n</i>) is shown, respectively, for the server <b>202</b>(<i>s</i>) and the client device <b>104</b>(<i>n</i>), a wide variety of types and combinations of memory may be employed, such as random access memory (RAM), hard disk memory, removable medium memory, and other types of computer-readable media.

0033The client device <b>104</b>(<i>n</i>) is illustrated as executing the communication module <b>108</b>(<i>n</i>) on the processor <b>204</b>(<i>n</i>), which is also storable in memory <b>206</b>(<i>n</i>). The communication module <b>108</b>(<i>n</i>) is executable to provide a user interface <b>208</b>(<i>n</i>) to interact with the service system <b>102</b> over the network <b>106</b>. For example, the user interface <b>208</b>(<i>n</i>) may display web pages to login to the service <b>102</b>, play browser-based games executed by the service system <b>102</b>, download games for execution on the client device <b>104</b>(<i>n</i>), create a profile <b>116</b>(<i>p</i>) that corresponds to a user of the client device <b>104</b>(<i>n</i>), and so on, further discussion of which may be found below.

0034The service system is illustrated as executing the manager module <b>112</b> and the profile module <b>114</b> on the processor <b>204</b>(<i>s</i>) of the server <b>202</b>(<i>s</i>), although the manager and profile modules <b>112</b>, <b>114</b> are physically stored in memory <b>206</b>(<i>s</i>). As previously stated, the profile module <b>114</b> is representative of functionality to create, maintain and/or leverage profiles <b>116</b>(<i>p</i>) that describe user interaction with electronic content, such as the illustrated casual games <b>110</b>(<i>g</i>).

0035The profile module <b>114</b>, for instance, may provide the user interface <b>208</b>(<i>n</i>) to the client device <b>104</b>(<i>n</i>) to create a respective profile <b>116</b>(<i>p</i>). The user, for instance, may provide manually-entered data <b>210</b> such as favorite game played, favorite recent release, least favorite game, summary paragraph describing types of games typically favored (erg., dexterity, action, timed, card), and so on. The profile module <b>114</b> may also provide computer-generated data <b>212</b>, such as a list of all games played, reviewed, rated, types of games most frequented, most recent game frequented, types of games not typically played, types of games typically rated, period of time the user has interacted with the service system <b>102</b>, amount of time in a given time period the user spends interacting with the casual games <b>110</b>(<i>g</i>), and so on.

0036The profile <b>116</b>(<i>p</i>) may also include one or more affiliations to other profiles as previously described, which may be manually entered and/or generated by the profile module <b>114</b> automatically. For example, a user may interact with the user interface <b>208</b>(<i>n</i>) and search existing profiles (e.g., ratings <b>118</b> and/or reviews <b>120</b> in the profile <b>116</b>(<i>p</i>)) for particular ones that seems to correspond to the user's likes and/or dislikes. The user may then add a reference to this profile, such as by clicking a button next to that rating or review.

0037The profile module <b>114</b> may also support a feature to automatically add affiliations <b>120</b> to similar profiles and thus the affiliations <b>120</b> may also be generated without user intervention. For example, the profile module <b>114</b> may examine ratings <b>118</b> in the profile <b>116</b>(<i>p</i>) and supply references to other profiles having similar ratings. In an implementation, these supplied references may be output via the user interface <b>208</b>(<i>n</i>) for acceptance or rejection by a user before the affiliation <b>120</b> is included in the profile <b>116</b>(<i>p</i>).

0038The profile module <b>115</b> may also support invitation functionality to invite users that have had their profiles affiliated with another user to also add that other user to their profiles. For example, when an affiliation is made to add a first profile (either automatically or manually) to a second profile, the profile module <b>114</b> may send an invitation to a user of the first profile to add a reference to the second profile. In other words, the user having their profile added to another profile may also be invited to add that other profile to their profile. The invitation may be supplied in a variety of ways, such as via email, instant message, an account information area of a webpage, and so on. The invitation may also include a link to see the profile to be added, a selectable portion (e.g., button) to add the other profile, and so on. Thus, a common interest affiliation network having profiles that are associated, one with another, may be created in a variety of different ways. A variety of other examples are also contemplated, further discussion of which may be found in relation to the exemplary procedures.

0039The affiliated profiles, once created, may then be leveraged in a variety of different ways. For example, the affiliated profiles may be used to determine whether a particular game might be of interest to a user with a common interest affiliation network. A user, for instance, may receive a profiled webpage <b>214</b>(<i>n</i>) that includes information based on the user's profile, including profiles referenced in the user's profile. The profiled webpage <b>214</b>(<i>n</i>) may then be utilized by the user to determine whether the particular game may be of interest, such as based on how the referenced profiles rate the game, average rating of the referenced profiles for that game, number of referenced profiles that rate the game, links to reviews included in the referenced profiles, and so on.

0040The profile webpage <b>214</b>(<i>n</i>) may also include an area that presents games that the user has not played, but are recommended based on the user's profile, including the referenced profiles. For example, the referenced profiles (e.g., profiles of members included in a common interest affiliation network) may be aggregated and a single set of recommendations may be generated based on this aggregation. The recommended games may then be reviewed by selecting them (e.g., “clicking on them”) to read reviews provided by referenced profiles, i.e., members of the common interest affiliation network.

0041In an implementation, the profile module <b>114</b> may also provide incentives to create profiles <b>116</b>(<i>p</i>) and provide ratings <b>118</b> and reviews <b>120</b>. The profile module <b>114</b>, for example, may provide incentives to a user for surpassing different thresholds, in which, each threshold defines a number of other profiles that have referenced the user's profile. The incentives, for instance, may be a virtual incentive that modifies the user's interaction with the casual game system, such as a badge that is displayed to other users (e.g., “Top Ten Reviewer”), a monetary incentive that is redeemable, at least in part, towards a purchase of one or more of the casual games <b>110</b>(<i>g</i>), and so on. A variety of other examples are also contemplated.

0042Yet further, the profile module <b>114</b> may also provide statistics relating to the profiles. For example, the profile <b>116</b>(<i>p</i>) may include computer-generated data <b>212</b> that describes a number of other profiles that reference the profile <b>116</b>(<i>p</i>), how many profiles are referenced by those profiles, and so on. In this way, users may be kept up-to-date regarding use of their profiles by other users and encouraged to continue to update their profiles regarding interaction with electronic content.

0043Exemplary Procedures

0044The following discussion describes techniques to create and leverage a common interest affiliation network that may be implemented utilizing the previously described systems and devices. Aspects of each of the procedures may be implemented in hardware, firmware, or software, or a combination thereof. The procedures are shown as a set of blocks that specify operations performed by one or more devices and are not necessarily limited to the orders shown for performing the operations by the respective blocks. In portions of the following discussion, reference will be made to systems and components shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 1 and 2</figref>.

0045<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> depicts a procedure <b>300</b> in an exemplary implementation in which an architecture is provided to create profiles describing user interaction with casual games and affiliate the profiles with other profiles to create a common interest affiliation network. A collection of casual games are provided that are playable or downloadable over a network (block <b>302</b>). The casual games, for instance, may be configured as Mahjong, word games, card games, board games, action games, mystery games, arcade games, puzzle games, and so on.

0046A module is provided to accept inputs from a first user to create a first profile describing the first user's interaction with one or more of the casual games (block <b>304</b>). The module, for instance, may be configured to accept manually-entered data <b>210</b> such as ratings and reviews. The created profile may also be configured to accept computer-generated data <b>212</b>, such as number of games played, frequency at which the games are played, number of reviews, specific game genres that are played and not played, and so on. The profile is then exposed to be shared with other users (block <b>306</b>), such as through inclusion in a website of the network service system <b>102</b> that is also configured to provide the casual games <b>110</b>(<i>g</i>).

0047A search utility is provided to search the profiles of other users (block <b>308</b>). The manager module <b>122</b>, for instance, may include a utility to search ratings and/or reviews submitted to describe interaction with the games. For example, the search utility may search for profiles having ratings that approximate ratings submitted by the users in their own profiles. The search utility may also accept inputs by users to search for profiles of interest, such as regarding specific rating/review given to particular games, demographic information, and so on.

0048A second profile is associated with a first profile found from the search (block <b>310</b>). The user, for instance, may select a portion of the user interface <b>208</b>(<i>n</i>) (e.g., a button) to add a reference to a profile found during the search. In this way, the profile and the referenced profile create a common interest affiliation network that may be leveraged in a variety of different ways, further discussion of which may be found in relation to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref>.

0049Upon association of the second profile, an invitation is formed to invite a second user that corresponds to the second profile to associate the first profile with the second profile (block <b>312</b>). Thus, the user that is having their profile affiliated with another profile may be given an opportunity to also affiliate that other profile with their profile.

0050The first user may also use affiliated profiles to locate other profiles. For example, the first user may browse to the second profile and locate a third profile to be affiliated with the first profile (block <b>314</b>). The second user, for instance, may have located a third profile that contains a multitude of ratings and reviews that are agreeable to the second user. Because the first user already found the second profile agreeable, the first user has an increased likelihood of finding the third profile agreeable and therefore may browse profiles referenced in the second profile for inclusion in the first profile. In another instance, the referenced profiles are included automatically (and so on with profiles included in the automatically referenced profiles) and a weighting is applied based on “degrees of separation” of the profiles to leverage the profiles. For example, a profile that was manually affiliated by the user may be given greater weight than a profile that was automatically affiliated based on that manual affiliation.

0051One or more incentives may also be provided to update the profiles (block <b>316</b>). The profile module <b>114</b>, for example, may define a plurality of thresholds, in which each threshold defines a number of other profiles that have referenced the user's profile. The profile module <b>114</b> may then provide incentives to a user for surpassing the different thresholds. The incentives, for instance, may be virtual such that the user's interaction with the casual game system is modified, such as a badge that is displayed to other users (e.g., “Top Ten Reviewer”, “Top Referenced Review”, and so on), a monetary incentive that is redeemable, at least in part, towards a purchase of one or more of the casual games <b>110</b>(<i>g</i>), and so forth. A variety of other examples are also contemplated.

0052<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref> depicts a procedure <b>400</b> in an exemplary implementation in which at least one recommendation is formed regarding an item of electronic content based at least in part on a profile and profiles referenced in the profile. A profile is received that describes interaction with one or more items of electronic content (block <b>402</b>). The profile, for instance, may describe user interaction with casual games, ring tones, computer programs stored on computer-readable media (e.g., a game for a game console), and so on.

0053One or more profiles are located that are referenced in the received profile (block <b>404</b>). For example, the profile module <b>114</b> may examine links contained in the profile <b>116</b>(<i>p</i>) to other profiles and fetch the corresponding profiles.

0054A recommendation is formed regarding at least one item of the electronic content based on the received profile and the located one or more profiles (block <b>406</b>). The profile module <b>114</b>, for example, may aggregate the received profile and the one or more profiles and use this aggregation to recommend an item of electronic content, with which, the user has not previously interacted. The recommendation may then be output (block <b>408</b>), such as through the user interface <b>208</b>(<i>n</i>) at the client. Thus, in this example the user's profile, including profiles referenced in that profile, is used to recommend electronic content. Thus, the recommended content has an increased likelihood of being relevant to the user. A variety of other examples are also contemplated.

0055<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref> depicts a procedure <b>500</b> in an exemplary implementation in which a profiled webpage is output that is customized based on a common interest affiliation network that is formed from an affiliation of a profile with one or more other profiles. An input is received from a user to navigate to a webpage related to a particular casual game (block <b>502</b>). The user, for instance, may interact with the communication module <b>108</b>(<b>1</b>) configured as a browser and request a webpage from the network service system <b>102</b>.

0056The network service system <b>102</b>, through execution of the manager module <b>112</b> (and more particularly the profile module <b>114</b>), may find a common interest affiliation network that corresponds to the user (block <b>504</b>). The profile module <b>114</b>, for instance, may determine an identity of the user (e.g., through logging on to the network service system <b>102</b>, through an indication included in the request, and so on) and locate a profile <b>116</b>(<i>p</i>) that corresponds to the user. The profile module <b>114</b> may then examine the profile to find other profiles that are affiliated with that profile to form the common interest affiliation network.

0057A determination is made as to which rating, reviews and/or recommendations to include in the webpage (block <b>506</b>) based on the corresponding common interest affiliation network. The profile module <b>114</b>, for example, may locate rating and reviews from the referenced profiles and include them in the webpage. When a sufficient number of rating and reviews are not included in the referenced profiles, profiles referenced in the referenced profiled (i.e., profiles that are children of the referenced profile) may also be fetched and used. A variety of other examples are also contemplated.

0058The webpage is then formed to include the determined ratings, reviews and/or recommendations (block <b>508</b>), such as to include them in particular areas of the webpage along with a description of the particular casual game that is related to the webpage. The webpage may then be output to be communicated to the user (block <b>510</b>), such as transmitted over the network <b>106</b> to be displayed in the user interface <b>208</b>(<i>n</i>) of the client device <b>104</b>(<i>n</i>). A variety of other techniques to leverage profiles are also contemplated.

0059Conclusion

0060Although the invention has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather, the specific features and acts are disclosed as exemplary forms of implementing the claimed invention.